Not a big deal, that the rooster crows, as we are allowed a rooster in our City. None of the neighbors are very close. He is friendly enough. My question. . . we only have three hens (none have started laying). What do we watch for to determine if we need to get rid of the rooster. I've heard it both ways . . . you can and cannot keep a rooster with that few hens. Thoughts? Thanks in advance.
So the Rooster started Crowing. . .
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Sure keep him!
Just put some hen saddles on the ladies if he starts to overbreed them (feathers go missing on their backs but not a molt).
Just put some hen saddles on the ladies if he starts to overbreed them (feathers go missing on their backs but not a molt).
The only way to know is to observe your flock. If you start seeing wear and tear on your hens (bald backs, broken feathers), you may want to consider getting rid of him. Hen saddles will protect the feathers, but won't do anything to stop possible stress from over breeding. As Ridgerunner says, you're dealing with a live animal so there are no absolutes. It might be a problem, it might not. You'll have to watch and see what happens. The first few months might be rough until his hormones level off.
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Lots of people have kept a rooster with a small group of hens. Sometimes there is no problems, sometimes there are small problems (broken feathers, which tend to bother people worse than hens) and sometimes they are nightmares.
AArt generally makes this point, if you are keeping a rooster, you need a plan that you can implement NOW with what to do if the rooster does not work.
A couple of points, a rooster chick is generally your favorite, he is so brave, so rash, so friendly. In a flock mate only flock, where all the birds are the same age, he will rapidly get much bigger than the pullets, sexually mature before them, and often times become quite aggressive. This forum is loaded with posts where the darling became a nightmare in an instant. He probably didn't, but inexperienced people do not alway pick up on the signals.
I prefer and think you get much better roosters when you raise roosters within a multi-generational flock by people who have experience with chickens. However, recently I have read a post, where it was recommended that if you pull the rooster at about 14 weeks and wait until the pullets are laying, it works much better. Juvenile roosters often terrorize the pullets when they are ready and the girls are not.
If you are going to have a rooster, you need a sharp knife, in case it does not work, or an area to separate the bird. If you have small young children be very aware that roosters generally attack children first, and roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of kids.
Good luck, and be aware
Mrs K
AArt generally makes this point, if you are keeping a rooster, you need a plan that you can implement NOW with what to do if the rooster does not work.
A couple of points, a rooster chick is generally your favorite, he is so brave, so rash, so friendly. In a flock mate only flock, where all the birds are the same age, he will rapidly get much bigger than the pullets, sexually mature before them, and often times become quite aggressive. This forum is loaded with posts where the darling became a nightmare in an instant. He probably didn't, but inexperienced people do not alway pick up on the signals.
I prefer and think you get much better roosters when you raise roosters within a multi-generational flock by people who have experience with chickens. However, recently I have read a post, where it was recommended that if you pull the rooster at about 14 weeks and wait until the pullets are laying, it works much better. Juvenile roosters often terrorize the pullets when they are ready and the girls are not.
If you are going to have a rooster, you need a sharp knife, in case it does not work, or an area to separate the bird. If you have small young children be very aware that roosters generally attack children first, and roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of kids.
Good luck, and be aware
Mrs K
If you didn't want a rooster, I don't see why you'd keep him just because you wound up with him by mistake. In a flock that small, he's taking up 1/4 of your feed and space and simply being a freeloader. I'd get rid of him and replace him with a hen or two, someone productive.
that said, the above posters pretty well spelled it out. You just can't predict what each animal will do. I have a pen that had one cockerel and 12 hens. two of the hens got pretty bare backed. I never noticed him aggressively mating them. I sold one hen and put the other in a small pen with my mature rooster Eric. It's just the two of them and her feathers have grown back in nicely. Now, Eric is a 2 year old bird, so not as hormonal as the cockerel she was in with at first, but then again she's his only hen. Most folks would have you thinking she'd be torn apart having all the attention from one rooster, but that's not the case here.
So the best advice is, if you want to keep him, try it and see how it goes but have a back up plan to implement immediately if things go south.
that said, the above posters pretty well spelled it out. You just can't predict what each animal will do. I have a pen that had one cockerel and 12 hens. two of the hens got pretty bare backed. I never noticed him aggressively mating them. I sold one hen and put the other in a small pen with my mature rooster Eric. It's just the two of them and her feathers have grown back in nicely. Now, Eric is a 2 year old bird, so not as hormonal as the cockerel she was in with at first, but then again she's his only hen. Most folks would have you thinking she'd be torn apart having all the attention from one rooster, but that's not the case here.
So the best advice is, if you want to keep him, try it and see how it goes but have a back up plan to implement immediately if things go south.
I like most of my roosters, but some are a bit too selfish, I'm sure if he becomes a problem you will know it, and will be willing to part with him one way or another, I like to give them all a chance, and who knows maybe you'll want more hens down the road, or want to try hatching some.
UTAHEM I can see some simple chicken math in your future. The rooster is a little too aggressive for those 3 hens but you have gotten attached to him and really want to keep him. So you decide on a simple solution. You go out to get another 4 hens to go with your flock. When you find those 4 hens theres a couple more thats just so friendly and looks so good you decide to just go ahead and get them too. Ok then you have 9 hens and a rooster. One of your hens go broody and you figure it sure would be fun to raise a couple of babies so you allow your hen to set on 8 eggs. That hen does really well and they all hatch. Ut oh now you expand your chicken pen and run. Well before you know it your getting 12-15 eggs a day and your friends and neighbors are loving the extras so you decide maybe a few more hens to be sure you have enough for friends and neighbors. Well first thing you know your up to 25 hens and a couple of roosters to go in your two chicken pens. Its just simple chicken math.
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